The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 483

th~ virgins trimmed their lamps, they all sought to prepare themselves to meet the Bridegroom. But there was a difference. The foolish virgins felt now the went of those vessels "'.hioh th~ey had heedlessly left-the want of that oil which they had neg- lected to provide. "\\ hen _they awoke to a sense of the Bridegroom's near approach, they found, !l'las I that_ their lamps were goi!.lg out; there was still a faint, flickering flame; but 1t was ~ymg, almost gone, and, alas I they had no oil to replenish the empty lamp. So dymg men feel when they are not ready; they feel that their reli- gion has not been deep and real; it has been t-Oo much a thing of words and outward forms, with some excitement of the feelings now and then; but it has taken no deep hold upon the character, it has not sunk into the hearL They felt soIDe interest in religion once; they made a little progress; it was enough to give them some comfort under ordinary circumstances; but ah I not enough to support them now in the presence of the king of terrors; it is weak, it fails them at the last; their.lamp is being quenched, they have almost quenched the Spirit by their spiritual indolence. (The Greek word here rendered "going out" and that translated "quench" in 1 Thess, v. 19 are the same.) In their distress they send for the clergyman, for some Christian friend; but ah I it is little that they can do. "There is not enough,"the wise virgins answered, "for us and for you." Each man must have that sacred oil in his own vessel, in his own heart and character. He must have bought it too; it must be bought of him who sells without money and without price. " I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, .. , and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed; . . . and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." The precious oil must be bought with prayer, with strong, persevering, faithful prayer; it must be treasured in the heart; it must so fill the character that by the grace of God it becomes our own, our very own, and cannot be taken from ne. One man cannot give that holy oil to another-only God can give it; one man cannot save another's soul-only God can save us. The wise virgins did all that they could for their companions-they bade them go t-0 them that sell. All that we can do is t-0 point the sinner to Christ: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!" Sinners must come to him in their need; they must buy of him as he counsels them, and that for themselves. Others e&Dll0t buy the precious oil for them; it must be bought with their own prayers, their own crying and tears. 3. The coming of the Bridegroom. The warniI1g was short; there was little time to prepare; very soon the Bridegroom came. Then they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. The wise virgins were ready; they had been slum- bering, but they had oil in their vessels. Christian men may be taken unawares ; death may come suddenly upon them; the Lord may come suddenly; but, if they have been living in faith and prayer, they will be able, so to speak, to put themselves at once into an attitude of devotion. Such men are filled with the Spirit; the Spirit is there, ready to make intercession for them with groanings that cannot be uttered, They can rouse themselves at once into preparedness ; they are ready to say their "Nunc dimittis," for they have been waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and their eyes have seen the salvation of the Lord. The wise virgins were ready; they went in with the Bridegroom to the marriage. 4. The do<JI' wa, ahut. It is open now; peni- tent sinners may enter; penitent sinners have entered in multitudes--:-David and Peter, and she who had sinned much, to whom much was forgiven. It is open to all who are ready, who are cleansed by the purifying influences of the blessed Spirit, by the pervading virtue of the sacred oil, from the defilement of sin. But the time will come when it must be shut; it was shut to those foolish virgins when they returned. They Lad not found the oil, we may be sure; but they cried in their despair, "Lord, Lord, open t-0 us J " .Alas I it was too late. He answered, "I know you not." 'l'he Lord knoweth those that are his; he knows them every one. " I know mine own, as the Father knoweth me." He knows them with the knowledge of Divine love, of intimate affectionate communion. He knoweth not thue those who have lived without persevering prayer, who have left theiJ first love, who have not kept themselves in the love of God, building themselves UJ, on their most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. " I know you not," he said. The words are not so dreadful as the awful condemnation of the slothful servant in the next parable, or of those that were set on the left hand in the prophecy of the judgment; it may be, we cannot tell, that they denote a milder doom, But this is a subject involved in the very deepest mystery. OIJ, t.xv. 1-4'6.J TilE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 1se